The relationships
Principles describe how elements are organized to create structure, hierarchy, movement, connection, and meaning.
Nine principles. Infinite relationships.
A working vocabulary. Lists of design principles vary across schools and disciplines. These nine provide a practical framework for comparing how visual elements are organized.
Visual weight distributed to create stability, tension, or equilibrium.
Difference used to create distinction, clarity, and visual energy.
A deliberate focal point that establishes what we notice first.
Visual forces that guide the eye through a composition.
Elements repeated according to a recognizable system or structure.
Relationships of size within a composition and to the world around it.
Repetition with variation that creates visual pace and flow.
Parts working together so the composition feels coherent and connected.
Difference and change used to create interest within a unified whole.